International Sleep Products Association

Last updated
International Sleep Products Association
Founded1915
TypeAdvocacy
FocusMattress Industry Advocacy
Location
Key people
Ryan Trainer,
President
Chair Scott Tinsley,
Board of Trustees
Website www.sleepproducts.org
Formerly called
National Association of Mattress Manufacturers; National Association of Bedding Manufacturers

The International Sleep Products Association (ISPA) is a trade association based in Alexandria, Virginia, United States. Its members are mattress manufacturers and mattress industry components suppliers. [1]

Contents

History

Founded as the National Association of Mattress Manufacturers in 1915, the organization renamed itself two years later as the National Association of Bedding Manufacturers. [2] Its goal was to create state tagging laws (see law label) and address the health sanitation issues affecting consumers. The association's name was changed to the International Sleep Products Association (ISPA) in 1987 to reflect acceptance of international members. [3]

ISPA's stated mission has been to lead and advance the interests of the sleep products industry. It works on behalf of the bedding industry on a range of commercial, health, safety and environmental issues, including legislative lobbying at the state and federal level. [4] It also seeks to present a positive image of the sleep products industry to the general public.

ISPA currently represents the sleep products industry and service suppliers around the world. The association provides a range of legislative, informational, and educational services to the mattress industry. [5]

Support and services

The association's products and services to members and non-members include:

ISPA provides regular and member communications through its website, through its publications BedTimes and Sleep Savvy and their websites, and through a range of social media including Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and its Blog - Bedpost. [7]

BedTimes magazine, published monthly, covers mattress industry news for manufacturers and components suppliers. [8] In August 2017, BedTimes marked 100 years of continuous publication with a celebratory feature chock full of industry history and interesting anecdotes. [9]

The BedTimes Supplies Guide [10] is a listing of products and services used in mattress and other sleep products manufacturing.

Sleep Savvy magazine is targeted to mattress retailers. Editorial content centers on tools and information to assist in boosting mattress sales.

ISPA Insider, a weekly industry e-newsletter for members, covers association news, legislative and regulatory issues, meetings and trade show information, and breaking news impacting the mattress industry.

Better Sleep Council (BSC)

Founded by ISPA in 1979, the BSC's stated goal has been to increase mattress sales and shorten the mattress replacement cycle by educating consumers about the importance of sleep to health and quality of life, and that the sleep surface and sleep environment are important contributors to quality of sleep. [11]

The BSC funds regular research studies of consumers to explore attitudes toward mattresses and the shopping experience. Findings assist the BSC in developing its messaging. ISPA membership dues support BSC research and other programs. BSC public relations campaigns aim to keep mattresses top of mind as consumers decide how to spend disposable income. The campaigns target a broad segment of U.S. consumers via print, broadcast and online media.

The BSC's latest example of this is the "Stop Sleeping Around" campaign. Through short videos and other visuals that show consumers sleeping everywhere but their own bed, the campaign reinforces the message that they may need to replace their mattress if they are nodding off during the day because they are not getting 7–8 hours of quality rest on a comfortable, supportive mattress. [12] The campaign advances the BSC’s mission by making the importance of sleep and mattress replacement top of mind in a fun, edgy way.

The annual focal point of the association's public relations campaign is Better Sleep Month (BSM) each May. Media hits for the campaign reach into the millions each year. [13] During BSM, the BSC has used a national spokesperson for a satellite and radio media tour, as well as 30: and 60: “In the Know” news vignettes, which are put on the BSC website.

The BSC has conducted several studies on consumer shopping behavior and the typical mattress replacement cycle. The council takes credit for helping reduce the average mattress replacement cycle from 13-plus years to about 10 years. The BSC sponsored a groundbreaking study conducted by the Oklahoma State University to scientifically evaluate whether a new mattress improves sleep quality and efficiency, while reducing back, spine, shoulder and neck stiffness, thus leading to a more restful night’s sleep. The results were positive. [14] This study is a resource for the BSC’s consumer messaging.

Related Research Articles

A waterbed, water mattress, or flotation mattress is a bed or mattress filled with water. Waterbeds intended for medical therapies appear in various reports through the 19th century. The modern version, invented in San Francisco and patented in 1971, became a popular consumer item in the United States through the 1980s with up to 20% of the market in 1986 and 22% in 1987. By 2013, they accounted for less than 5% of new bed sales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air mattress</span> Type of mattress

An air mattress is an inflatable mattress or sleeping pad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mattress</span> Large soft sheet for laying on to sleep

A mattress is a large, usually rectangular pad for supporting a lying person. It is designed to be used as a bed, or on a bed frame as part of a bed. Mattresses may consist of a quilted or similarly fastened case, usually of heavy cloth, containing materials such as hair, straw, cotton, foam rubber, or a framework of metal springs. Mattresses may also be filled with air or water.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bed size</span> Dimensions of sleeping mattresses

Standard bed sizes are based on standard mattress sizes, which vary from country to country. Bed sizes also vary according to the size and degree of ornamentation of the bed frame. Dimensions and names vary considerably around the world, with most countries having their own standards and terminology. In addition, two mattresses with the same nominal size may have slightly different dimensions, due to manufacturing tolerances, amount of padding, and support type. Mattress sizes may differ from bedding sizes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bedding</span> Bed covering fabrics

Bedding, also called bedclothes or bed linen, is the materials laid above the mattress of a bed for hygiene, warmth, protection of the mattress, and decorative effect. Bedding is the removable and washable portion of a human sleeping environment. Multiple sets of bedding for each bed are often washed in rotation and/or changed seasonally to improve sleep comfort at varying room temperatures. Most standardized measurements for bedding are rectangular, but there are also some square-shaped sizes, which allows the user to put on bedding without having to consider its lengthwise orientation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Infant bed</span> Small bed for infants and very young children

An infant bed is a small bed especially for infants and very young children. Infant beds are a historically recent development intended to contain a child capable of standing. The cage-like design of infant beds restricts the child to the bed. Between one and two years of age, children are able to climb out and are moved to a toddler bed to prevent an injurious fall while escaping the bed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleep Number</span> U.S. manufacturing company

Sleep Number is an American manufacturer that makes the Sleep Number and Comfortaire beds, foundations and bedding accessories. The company is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In addition to its Minnesota headquarters, Sleep Number has manufacturing and distribution facilities in South Carolina and Utah. As of 2023, the company employed 5,515 people across the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simmons Bedding Company</span> American mattress manufacturer

The Simmons Bedding Company is an American major manufacturer of mattresses and related bedding products, based in Atlanta, Georgia. The company was founded in 1870. Simmons' flagship brand is Beautyrest. In addition to operating 18 manufacturing facilities in the United States and Puerto Rico, the company licenses its products internationally. According to a Simmons press release, net sales for 2005 were $855 million, and its revenue was $1.13 billion in 2007 and $1.228 billion in 2013. In 2011, Simmons ranked in third place among U.S. mattress manufacturers, with a 15.7 percent market share. In 2012, Simmons and its sister company Serta International were acquired by American private equity company Advent International. As of 2022, Simmons is a subsidiary of the American company Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC of Doraville, Georgia. On January 23, 2023, Serta Simmons Bedding filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oeko-Tex</span> Standards organisation in the textiles industry

Oeko-Tex is a registered trade mark, representing the product labels and company certifications issued and other services provided by the International Association for Research and Testing in the Field of Textile and Leather Ecology.

ConsumerLab.com, LLC. is a privately held American company registered in White Plains, NY. It is a publisher of test results on health, wellness, and nutrition products. Consumer Labs is not a laboratory, but contracts studies to outside testing laboratories. It purchases dietary supplement products and other consumer goods directly from public storefronts and online retailers, contracts for testing by private laboratories, and publishes reports based on the results. It primarily derives revenue from the sale of subscriptions to its online publications, which are paywalled. Other sources of revenue include a proprietary certification program, licensing fees, contents re-publication license fees, and advertising.

An adjustable bed is a bed which has a multi-hinged lying surface which can be profiled to a number of different positions. Common adjustments include inclining the upper body and raising the lower body independently of each other. Other common features include height adjustment and tilting the bed to raise the upper body or the lower body into the Trendelenburg or reverse Trendelenburg positions.

The Construction Products Association (CPA) is a UK construction industry trade association. It represents and champions manufacturers and suppliers of construction products. As well as representing some of the largest construction product manufacturers in the UK, the CPA also acts as the 'umbrella' trade organisation for dozens of sector and product-specific trade associations, which themselves represent thousands of companies, mostly SMEs and family-run businesses.

Sleepy's was a retail mattress chain with over 1,000 stores, primarily situated in the northeastern United States. The company was founded in New York City in 1931. Sleepy's was acquired by Mattress Firm in December 2015 and all stores were rebranded under the Mattress Firm name on January 1, 2017, but the website continued as an online retailer until 2018. Mattress Firm now uses the Sleepy's name for their private label mattresses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association</span>

The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) was founded in 1904. MEMA represents more than 1,000 companies that manufacture motor vehicle components and systems for the original equipment and aftermarket segments of the light vehicle and heavy-duty motor vehicle manufacturing industry in the United States. Motor vehicle component manufacturers are the largest employer of manufacturing jobs in the U.S., contributing nearly 3 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product. Motor vehicle parts suppliers generate a total direct and indirect employment impact of 4.26 million jobs, up nearly 18 percent since 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zalmon Gilbert Simmons II</span> American businessman (1870-1934)

Zalmon Gilbert Simmons II was an American businessman, manufacturer, philanthropist and innovator. He was the president of The Simmons Company from 1910-1932. He inherited the company in 1910 from his father, Simmons Company founder Zalmon G. Simmons. Z.G. II was commonly referred to as "the Chief" for his ability to recognize possibilities and make decisions that many felt were foolish but would prove to be extremely profitable. It is reported that Simmons once wagered an automobile a hole in a game of golf. His unshakable character increased the company's profits from less than $5,000,000, when he became president, to over $40,000,000 at the peak of his incumbency and revolutionized the bedding industry.

Saatva is an American privately held e-commerce company that specializes in luxury mattresses and is based in New York City with a second major office in Austin, Texas. Launched in 2011, Saatva was one of the first companies to implement the direct-to-consumer business model. The fastest growing major direct-to-consumer mattress brand from 2019 to 2021, Saatva is estimated to bring in close to $500M in direct annual revenue in 2022 with no wholesale channels. In 2015, Saatva ranked #101 on Inc's list of the top 500 retailers for the year. Saatva mattresses launched Loom and Leaf, an eco-friendly brand of luxury memory foam mattresses and their high-end Zenhaven mattress in 2016.

Chittenden & Eastman Company is an American handcrafting mattress manufacturer originally based in Burlington, Iowa. The company has thirty factories around the world and is currently headquartered in North Brunswick, New Jersey. Chittenden & Eastman's intellectual property has since been purchased by Mattress Development Company of Delaware which reintroduced the Eastman House brand into the marketplace. The company is active with over 30 factories and licensees worldwide.

'J. Pauly & Sohn is one of the oldest bedding companies in the world. It was the sole official supplier of beds to the Austrian Empire for several generations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eight Sleep</span> American technology company

Eight Sleep is an American company that develops products for "sleep fitness".

Amerisleep is an American memory foam mattress and bedding company based in Scottsdale, Arizona. The company was founded in 2010 and it has retail locations in Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Oregon, Houston and three stores in South Korea.

References

  1. "About". International Sleep Products Association | ISPA. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  2. "1915-1940: An industry comes together". BedTimes. 2015-02-27. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  3. "The mattress industry and 'the challenge of change'". BedTimes. 2015-08-11. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  4. "ISPA aims to step up pace as advocate of Industry | Furniture Today". www.furnituretoday.com. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  5. "ISPA Announces Product Safety Course." Home Furnishings Business. Aug. 2, 2011. Retrieved 2011-9-8.
  6. "Mattress Sales Jump in February." Archived 2012-04-02 at the Wayback Machine Home Furnishings News. March 29, 2010. Retrieved 2011-9-8.
  7. "BedPost Blog — An insomniac's guide to pointless trivia on mattresses and sleep". www.bedpostblog.com. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  8. "About BedTimes magazine". BedTimes. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  9. "BedTimes Magazine, a Trade Publication Devoted to the Production of Mattresses, Celebrates 100 Years" . Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  10. "BedTimes Supplies Guide". 2012-10-01. Archived from the original on 2012-10-01. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  11. "BSC builds on quarter century of PR to move industry forward". BedTimes. 2004-09-01. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  12. "The Obvious Benefits of Sleep" . Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  13. "New mattress can keep zombies at bay, says Better Sleep Council | Furniture Today". www.furnituretoday.com. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  14. Jacobson, Bert. "Study shows wealth of health benefits New mattress reduces pain & stiffness; improves sleep Archived 2012-03-31 at the Wayback Machine ." BedTimes Magazine. June 2007. Retrieved 2011-9-8.